I am rooting for the Rangers. I'm a lifelong Pens fan and, like everyone else here, was disappointed to see them knocked out by the Rangers. However, the Rangers rallied back from a 3-1 deficit to take the series and nothing about their play made me dislike them. Quite the opposite really! To dislike a team in general is one thing, but to do so simply because they beat our team is ridiculous.

Not just because they beat us though. They are division rivals. I would hate to see the isles, flyers, devs, or any newer division rivals win. If we can't win it, I'm almost always rooting for the west each year.

I'm agreeing with you on Lundqvist winning a Cup, but man, don't say "real goalie" like MAF isn't NHL caliber. Lundqvist is the top tier of elite goaltending. He has it all. He is athletic, he has great vision, and his is one of the smarter players. No one is like him. Price and Quick get by on their amazing movements, and that's where Fleury is, just not as great. The only goalie I'd say might reach King Henrik's level is Tuukka Rask, because he's insane, but doesn't have the experience that gives Lundqvist an edge.

Seriously though? God damn it. We were one game from knocking them out. A guy in r/rangers even wrote a fucking letter to the Rangers about how disappointing the team has been for years. Then they win 3 straight and knock us out in 7. Then blew the Habs away, and we're GM-less, and our entire bottom 6 is in limbo because no one knows who is safe or not.

And it's becoming apparent that ownership doesn't really care about cups, as we've been lead to believe, but only having a good PR image and making money.

The sad fucking thing is that our idiot coach might be the best one out there now that Trotz got hired.

In any case, I'm hoping the Rangers win. Mostly because Lundqvist is an entirely likeable character, and partly because my friend is a rangers fan. So long as Chicago doesn't win and their bandwagon fans quit with the dynasty bullshit, I'll be happy.

If the Hawks end up winning the west, I may have to root for the Rangers. As horrifying as it would be seeing them lift the Cup, it would be worse to see the Hawks get a third Cup and put themselves into the "dynasty" conversation. That would really make it hit home just how big of an opportunity was there for the Pens and how much they blew it in the last five years.